core
/kɔː/
"core" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“core” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,892 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #1,892
- frequency rank, English
- 4
- letters
- 5
- tracked misspellings
- 20
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In general usage, an essential part of a thing surrounded by other essential things.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | core |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /kɔː/ |
| Letters | 4 |
| Frequency rank | #1,892 |
| Misspellings tracked | 5 |
| Confusable pairs | 20 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “core” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for core is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kɔː/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,892 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 22 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for core, with forms such as "ccore", "coer", and "corre". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "CR", "cry", "cow", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English core, kore, coor (“apple-core, pith”), of obscure and uncertain origin. Possibly of native English origin, from Old English *cor, related to Old English *coruc, *corc (diminutive) (> Middle English cork, crok (“core of an apple or other … The correct English form is core, spelled C-O-R-E.
Definition
- 1In general usage, an essential part of a thing surrounded by other essential things.
- 2In general usage, an essential part of a thing surrounded by other essential things.
- 3In general usage, an essential part of a thing surrounded by other essential things.
- 4In general usage, an essential part of a thing surrounded by other essential things.
- 5The most important part of a thing or aggregate of things wherever located and whether of any determinate location at all; the essence.
- 6The most important part of a thing or aggregate of things wherever located and whether of any determinate location at all; the essence.
- 7The most important part of a thing or aggregate of things wherever located and whether of any determinate location at all; the essence.
- 8The most important part of a thing or aggregate of things wherever located and whether of any determinate location at all; the essence.
- 9particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
- 10particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
- 11particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
- 12particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
- 13particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
- 14particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
- 15particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
- 16particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
- 17Hence particular parts of a subject studied or examined by technical operations, likened by position and practical or structural robustness to kernels, cores in the most vulgar sense above.
- 18Hence particular parts of a subject studied or examined by technical operations, likened by position and practical or structural robustness to kernels, cores in the most vulgar sense above.
- 19Hence particular parts of a subject studied or examined by technical operations, likened by position and practical or structural robustness to kernels, cores in the most vulgar sense above.
- 20Hence particular parts of a subject studied or examined by technical operations, likened by position and practical or structural robustness to kernels, cores in the most vulgar sense above.
- 21Hence particular parts of a subject studied or examined by technical operations, likened by position and practical or structural robustness to kernels, cores in the most vulgar sense above.
- 22Hence particular parts of a subject studied or examined by technical operations, likened by position and practical or structural robustness to kernels, cores in the most vulgar sense above.
Etymology
From Middle English core, kore, coor (“apple-core, pith”), of obscure and uncertain origin. Possibly of native English origin, from Old English *cor, related to Old English *coruc, *corc (diminutive) (> Middle English cork, crok (“core of an apple or other fruit, heart of an onion”)) and Old English corn (“seed", also "grain”); or alternatively perhaps from Old French cuer (“heart”), from Latin cor (“heart”); or from Old French cors (“body”), from Latin corpus (“body”). Compare also Middle English colk, coke, coll (“the heart or centre of an apple or onion, core”), Dutch kern (“core”), German Kern (“core”). See also heart, corpse. Compare typologically Russian серде́чник (serdéčnik), сердцеви́на (serdcevína)) (akin to се́рдце (sérdce), cognate with heart, Latin cor).
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ccore,coer,corre,croe,ocre
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of core - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “core”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-O-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /kɔː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “CR” - see the side-by-side comparison. core vs CR
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.